Pollard Fined $42K for Hit on Johnson

Do people on this board have a collective learning disorder? Its ANY hit to helmet or neck area, whether you use your helmet, shoulder or arms.

Let me quote the rule for you guys. Its Rule 12, Section 2, Article 7:
(b) Prohibited contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture is:
(1) Forcibly hitting the defenseless player's head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm or shoulder regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless player by encircling or grasping him.

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(a) Players in a defenseless posture are:(1) A player in the act of or just after throwing a pass;(2) A receiver attempting to catch a pass; or who has completed a catch and has not had time to protect himself or has not clearly become a runner. If the receiver/runner is capable of avoiding or warding off the impending contact of an opponent, he is no longer a defenseless player;

The brunt of the hit was on Johnson's shoulder. Contact with Johnson's helmet was minimal. It barely made his head flinch. Furthermore, Johnson is squared up with Pollard and can see him running to make the tackle for several seconds. Seems he had time to avoid this hit, though it would have meant stepping out of bounds, which puts whether Jonson was actually defenseless in question.

You're right, it's football on the National Football League's terms. If they don't like it they can go play somewhere else.

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We would go watch them play somewhere else. We don't watch to see Goodell hand out fines. We watch to see players make plays. If this keeps up, as much as it would pain me, voting with our feet will become the best option.

Some comments from coach Mike Munchak during Wednesday’s session with reporters:

On if hits by Bernard Pollard and Texans CB Kareem Jackson were “of the same ilk” or should be fined equally: “I think there’s some criteria we’re not aware of when they put a dollar amount on a hit. I’m assuming it has something to do with how many times they’ve evaluated one of your hits, I’m guessing. I don’t know how the League does it, but the other one was obviously much nastier. It was more right to the head. I’m not sure how they figure those things out. I’ll leave that to the NFL.”

On if he’s surprised Pollard was fined for the hit: “I was hoping he wouldn’t be. They didn’t call it during the game because they thought he hit him with his shoulder. I guess the assumption is his shoulder hit him in the upper part of the body and they want to encourage you not to do that. I assumed there may be a consequence. I knew the league was going to take a good look at it, no doubt, they look at all those things so as far as dollar amount. We’re not involved in that, so I have no idea where they come up with those numbers. It’s unfortunate. He’s playing to be physical. We’ve just got to be smart and we’ve just got to keep lowering our hits so we don’t have those things happen.”

On if he reviewed the play and if he thought it was a legal hit: “Yeah. Yeah, like I said I think it was a good it. It’s a game of inches. An inch here, an inch there. That’s left for them.”

On if there’s anything Pollard could have done to avoid a fine: “I guess in their mind, just lower the hit. Go lower, I guess hit him in the legs, the lower body. He’s a defenseless player at that point, I guess, and if you hit him with the shoulder or head I guess it doesn’t matter. It just can’t be in the head or neck area and he was up higher than he was supposed to be.”

On if Pollard’s reputation has anything to do with the fine: “Well, they didn’t call the penalty, so the good news is the officials weren’t calling it because it was him. They figured they’d let someone in slow motion figure it out because in fast motion, it looked like it was good enough to leave it alone, and then the League has to look at it. At that point, I think the only time reputation goes into it is how many times you’re in that position where they’re looking at one of your hits. I’m sure that’s taken into consideration at some point.”

And without the fans, what do you have? There's a reason they had $765 million to settle that suit to begin with. Nobody wants to get hurt, but if you put the pads on, you've accepted the risk. Make better contracts and waiver agreements and lets get back to real football. I'd rather not watch football than to watch flag football.

And without the fans, what do you have? There's a reason they had $765 million to settle that suit to begin with. Nobody wants to get hurt, but if you put the pads on, you've accepted the risk. Make better contracts and waiver agreements and lets get back to real football. I'd rather not watch football than to watch flag football.

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I guess my point is it's disingenuous for the players make comments blaming the league for cracking down on hard hits when at the same time the players are suing the league for damages over concussions. The rule changes are response to legal liability of the league, and unless the players waive compensation due to these damages (not sure I would if I was a player) then the rules will have to compensate. just imho

In a league that frowns upon big hits, you sure as **** see tons of helmets flying off. Wear a proper fitting helmet and strap that **** down. I find it hard to believe that the league can regulate the use of thigh pads* and not regulate the use of better helmets. But that isn't going to happen because they lose money from one of the helmet makers.

*Yea because those thigh pads prevent so many damn injuries.

**** the politics, and just ****ing play football. We all know what is driving it anyways.

Furthermore, Johnson is squared up with Pollard and can see him running to make the tackle for several seconds. Seems he had time to avoid this hit, though it would have meant stepping out of bounds, which puts whether Jonson was actually defenseless in question.

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Johnson was up in the air for the catch and his one leg had barely touched the ground when Pollard hit him. There's absolutely no question that he was defenseless! For a receiver to no longer be defenseless he has to have secured the catch and be in balance. A receiver who is in the air is always defenseless.

Why isn't this as simple as "Here. Sign this. This says you're accepting the risk of putting on football pads and we're not responsible if you end up brain damaged for taking hits.... good news- you're a millionaire."?

Either play the game or don't.

Pretending you didn't know it was dangerous afterward is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

These players are the equivalent to the McDonalds "Coffee is hot" person that sued.

Boxers get more brain damage than football players- they're not changing their sport.

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